Job Discussion Forums

[bobs12]

Hi, interested to know how many people are working where (what city/what school), what their positions are and how long they've been there.


Also, if you're among those who have recently left, I'd like to know where you worked, position you held, and how long you were there.

More to come,

Cheers

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello bobs12:

First - I've been wanting to say this for weeks now - 'luv your new avatar!'

Ok, now to the serious business at hand.

I am currently teaching corporate English in and around Bangkok; mostly at 5-star hotels and a few company classes. Earning the equivalent of $US 1,000 per month, which is fairly decent for Thailand.

Spent three very good years in Samara at Linguamir.

Going into my third year at Linguamir, I begged the Director to promote me to DOS so it would look cool on my CV.

He did ... and it does.

As I've already mentioned somewhere in another thread, I do have mixed feelings about having left. There are times when I really miss Russia, the changing seasons & the frowning Babushkas ... and times when I'm glad to be sitting under the palm trees trying to figure out why total strangers are smiling at me.

Hey Bob - If you decide to open a new school, e-mail me!

I could be easily persuaded to return - under the right conditions.

Warm regards,

keNt

[waxwing]

Judging by his nascent website, bobs is obviously a man with a plan

I was in Stavropol for 1 year last year with English First. Now in China. Oh I did a short voluntary stint in Izhevsk too.

I guess you could collect info from expat.ru too. Do you visit that often? Very Muscovite though.

[bobs12]

Waxwing, how did you know I have a newborn?! The website is very experimental. The idea is all more or less written there. To begin with I want to collect detailed information about schools from experienced teachers. I could dredge the 'net and fill in the information myself, but that way I wouldn't be sure exactly who my sources were. I prefer that the content be written by people with first-hand experience. I have a lot more functionality in mind that should spring to life in the next couple of weeks or so.

I'll have a closer look at expat, somehow I'm a bit put off by the general idea of 'expat'- but maybe that's just my prejudice Kent, thanks for the answer, would be very glad if you and

I may at a later date compile information about schools and turn it into statistics for at-a-glance comparison of schools.

I remember when I was about to come to Russia and was looking for information about teaching and schools on the 'net and found virtually nothing, either in terms of information or jobs available. For my sins I ended up going to Benedict School in the belief that there were no other jobs available...

Even on EslCafe there was little specific information to be had. Thus the idea of my website. In short, I'd be hugely grateful if everyone would take a few minutes to register (same process as for this forum) and add their comments. I'll add sections and forums for anyone whose school or city is not already there. I hope that the wider availability of information might make it easier for teachers to know which schools to go to and which to avoid (for example, I know one in SPb which is on the American Consulate's black list).

There are other plans for different functions, but maybe more about that later, if anyone's interested. Any suggestions will be gratefully accepted as I am a total novice web designer and the site is still in an uncooked and very much hashed-together state.


PS, thanks, the avatar is from uglypeople.com love the addition to the master index. Maybe I'll get my site in there one day!

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello it's me: (anybody remember Tod Rundgren?)


Yes - of course I'll post your new website URL on The Master Index and help out wherever I can! Don't be silly.

When you're ready - just post the new link here, or PM me, and I'll get it up (no pun intended) right away.

I'll even add some flashing doodads and animated thingamajigs to draw attention to it.


Warm regards,
kEnt

[bobs12]

Cooool!

Thank you

It's not quite ready for public viewing yet, but the forum is ready, and accessible through the www link under my posting. I'll let you know as soon as it's ready to view. It may flop (no pun intended there either ) but I think in theory it should be useful.

I'm just fed up with the number of dejected people I see coming here on the promise of 'work', then being fobbed off with a few hours a week when they arrive. It happened to one American woman who came to a certain school and then was told there was no work at all. She got a couple of summer camp jobs through the BS (who take a huge cut out of the wages) and ended up back in SPb with no money, not even for an airfare home, freeloading off kind souls. Me included- I only got rid of her this weekend Happened to me last year as well, but I'd already been here long enough to know the market. There's a lot of work out there, but you need to know where to find it and how to avoid the scams.

I look forward to the doodahs and thingummyjigs!

Any ideas about information to gather/include would be appreciated from everyone. I haven't worked in a school for almost a year now, kind of out of touch with employment issues.

Samara and Linguamir are going up as we speak. Waxwing- I'll put Stavropol/English First up right now. Would be very glad if you'd add your thoughts. Izhevsk also- I'd like to include a volunteering section as I had great trouble trying to decide which on the 'net were genuine and which weren't. As much for my own interest as others'

One question- Tod Rundgren?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello bobs12:


I'm posting the VisaRus Teachers' Forum link on The Master Index this evening (fyi) --- just for starters --- and to help generate some interest in your project.

I'll add the homepage link when you're ready.

Good luck with your ambitious plans! I'm off to find me some flashing doodads!


Best wishes,
keNt


PS: Tod Rundgren was (and still is, actually) a very cool American 'hippy' rock-n-roller; a bit more cerebral than other rock-stars of his era. His biggest commercial success was a tune called "Hello it's me", although his best songs never made the charts!

[alekto]

Heya.

I've travelled around Russia a tiny bit.

I first taught English at a summer camp in Losevo (Karelia region - about 2 hours from St Petes) with Language Link.

Then I moved to Zelenograd, Moscow region, where I worked for two years with BKC-IH. It was nice and peaceful and I taught a *lot* of kids (5 and up). I was sort of unofficial kids ADOS.

In July I moved to Moscow proper. Now I am working freelance - I have one class with BKC-IH, one on-site class with the British Counil and an off-site British Council class too. I'm rather enjoying the lighter workload

[dostogirl]

3 years in Russia and 3 years in Korea...now I quit...